CHAP. II.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

69

self and Dragut, were given each a splendidbanner. But all was useless. Above six conti-nuous hours had lasted that terrific drama. Withthe rudest scorn the bannered lunatics wererebutted, their rich banners taken and spit upon,and then torn to fritters.

Of other four banners that we took, one was ina sortie by Medrano, and flung by his own handsinto the fort. The magnificently-dressed Turkwho bore it, had set it on one of the gabions, atwhich our said captain rushed out, killed theinfidel, and wrenching the banner from his finalgrasp, had scarcely time to fling it up to us, muchless to draw himself back, when a Moslem ballpierced his forehead, and the frank and valiantsoldier fell dead, to our infinite regret. With uswas his ensign, who resolute to die at his master’sfeet, leaped forth in a twinkling, and jostling,overturning, slaying, or wounding several Turks,was at length overcome by numbers, and killed,as he desired, at foot of that glorious corpse, whichthey endeavoured to pull off with them, but couldnot, for ours came and bore it in; and it after-wards was carried to Borgo, where it was buriedin St. Leonard’s, among the order’s grand crosses. 1

Victory was ours; but at severe cost. At Borg6

1 Bosio : par in. 563.